Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-06-09

feet as God is not state of freedom
from sin, neither is it condition when
We have arrived at . certain stage OIL
moral progress, SO as to know SO much
or belibve q certain number of facts il
religious history or 10 accept certain
| conclusions that other menhave accepted
iof Gil the conditions have suggested are
only relative. None are positive and
conclusive. AT no one OF the points sug.
gested, can we say, here is the end, there
is no more beyond.
The grade of moral attainment that
was nigh enough for Abtam while living
among Idol woishippers OF Mesopotamia
was altogether too low for Abraham the
Patriarch who sat under the oak oi
Name and entertained tho three heav-
emily guests, for in the interval he had
stndied the purposes of God. He had
three times over made o seldom cove.
nant with him, He had sinned, been
punished and pardoned. Yet the man
whom God chose to be his special mes
senger to tae human race, while living
|almost 9 pagan in the land OF the Chal-
dees, was actuated by as perfect pnr-
pose as when forty years later he was SO
bold 10 pleading with God for the say.
ing of Sodom.
The outer conditions OF his life we're
greatly altered, because he had learned
more of God. The attitude ofthe outer
n1an was changed but the heart looked
out toward God, and listened for his
voice, no Mora truly in the innd Of
promise than it had on the banks OF the
Enphsates. Again the standard which
was just right for Abraham .at any point
OF life might well be regarded as too
severe for some OF his neighbors in Har-
an or in the plains of Name. Hence the
necessarily OF some standard that should
be perfect and yet adapted svS.he varied
conditions Of human life.
Human wisdom coulS never conceive
OF taking the absolute, the unattainable,
the perfect, as the standard to which the
weskness of the created and the sinful
must conform. No single saying OF
Christ reveals more signally his divinity
than this command; .Be Ye Perfect, !"
to be as God in heaven is mot good,
but perfect.
How can We attain it? What did
Christ men by itp Not, as just said that
by any means we are in this life we are
to come to point of freedom from sin
nor reach developments that by the
consensus OF any large body of men Is
right because in accord with this COM
monty accepted standard.
We may not be able to know all the
range of Ohrist's sayings, but in this we
can not 60 fer amiss to say that the words
carry this meaning. You are to take
God for your model. You are to have
the same motives that ne has. You are
made in his Image. Then strive to get
back to it. The fact that you have
marred this perfect pattern and fallen
from your great original. is added reason
for making the highest the ideal 10,
which you strive.
There are certain and very obvious re-
suits coming from such joining of our
| selves to the nature and the character
of God,
| All duties are at once resolved into
the single one Of becoming like God,
There are no puzzling questions Of ex-
Ipediency. There is no asking, what il
80 be done in specific case. Ii is al
once referred to the great principle thai
moves our lives, and the course that ii
most like the nature OF God is the one
1 TO follow. There can be no danger o.
making mistake. or course approva
of men can not slways be had, but tha
is not necessary to right living, nor ever
to happy living. And even this approya
Twill come, ii one will visit till passing
Iyears have removed hate and prejudice
land ignorance from mems estimate, ane
made it equal to the Judgment of God
/ Then, TO live like God developes us OIL
nothIng else can. dc not now refer Il
that which is sometimes called tn,
spiritual lie, as separated from th
intellectual. There is no such separa.
ton really possible. Our lives are
unit. Growth or repression in one lin
have an instant effect upon the total o
our being. Yet it Is convenient Il
5ispeak of groups OF allied faculties a
being spiritual, moral, intellectual life
II And SO, five we're intent on gaining th
mastery OF the logical forces OF our life
SO as to do the most with ourselves q
u merely thinking beings, we could not d
better than to, live as God lives. w
. soon feel as students the helpful effect
/ of referring deep questions that come I
4 ns now, to the standards that other me
| have found hy the experience of ages
be eafe. 70 go back and see how me
/ Of the past met and answered these sam
problems helps US to the solution tha
is best for us.
III How much more help would com
i from habitual reference OF all matters {
j the principles that are eternal, j. e--t
n God himself. This habit OF mind is nc
she same as that which Christians ca
81 the spirit OF prayer. 1t does not 20
u far ns that. 1t is rather like the 81
d nobling and developing power th.
comes from intercourse with good me-
o the reading Of good literature.
Ell Tastes are refined, perceptions q,
i ilquickened. preferences purified, faults i,
0 sensibly corrected mannerisms droppe
|. One 10 no longer narrow and biRote(
+ nor can one be in any sense provincis
Il Such 9 habit OF mind would very eoe
d lcome to be greater than mere intelle,
j. Itnsl excellence. It must psrforce b.
-Icome a high spiritual communion wi
God. The reverent student will n
n logically stop until he becomes deYo,
il tifriend Of God, and no man can NAL
o eipermRnent advance as o student un
i he has the reverent spirit, hence Il
Itruly successful student must be h
e friend of God.
ISL When this divine companionship b
d IginH, the lite broadens, as under 4
benign power of the sun, dead see
4, awake to all their possibilities. Gene
II GUS tides OF life flood the lsoul, leavi
y no place for Jealousy. Sympathy d
ie places suspicion kindly charity WELDON
mt every new phase Of truth. Heart al
q, brain are qnickened, SO that progress
Ct the law of being.
& The old is ever welcoming the ne
le The whole range of human invests
tion becomes hallowed ground,
d. everything that can be the theme OF +,
40 erent thought, is laid under oontributi
or to bring honor to our God who has me
is all this mighty universe and command